I shake my head, my long hair bouncing around me. “You don’t havta lie, Aziah. It tasted bad. Really bad. I must have got the recipe wrong.”
He picks up another cookie and pops it into his mouth. “Nah. It’s not that bad.”
I almost puke when he starts chewing.
“Besides, you took the time to make them, so they should get eaten.”
I reach over and scoop up Boo and set him in my lap. “Well, I’m not gonna to eat them. I almost puked my guts out.”
His eyes begin to sparkle like they do when he’s going to do something funny. I always like it when he’s like this. It doesn’t happen as often as it used to. Not since he was forced to…. I don’t want to think about it, so I make the thought go away.
“How ’bout we leave the rest for the others to eat?” he asks, a grin creeping across his face.
I giggle. “They’ll be sooo mad.”
He shrugs. “Nah. That’s what happens when you’re late to one of your tea parties. They’ll be okay.”
I squeeze Boo tightly to my chest and lean over the table, practically bouncing in my seat with anticipation. “Okay. Let’s do it.”
He winks at me, and I wrinkle my nose when he shoves the last cookie from his plate into his mouth. Even though I know it tasted like dog poop, he doesn’t even make a face. When he smiles at me through the bite, I smile back.
In a world that’s turning darker and darker, month after month, he always manages to flip the light back on and make my life that much brighter.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
EMO
I WALK INSIDE TROUBLE and Remi’s house and head straight for the living room, where I hear Rella laughing. I find her lying on her back on the floor with Elijah bouncing on her stomach. The sight shoots something sharp and painful straight through my heart. She’ll never have this. She’ll never be able to lie around and play with her own child. She could adopt or have a surrogate mother, but it wouldn’t be the same as growing a child in her womb. I wish I could go back in time and do all the right things, to change her future.
I stop a foot away and stare down at her. Her luscious brown hair is fanned out around her and her face is lit up with happiness. Her eyes meet mine, and the look brightens even more, like she’s very happy to see me.
Elijah crawls off her lap, and I help Rella to her feet. When I glance
down, curious blue eyes stare up at me. He sticks a thumb in his mouth and reaches up with the other arm. I’ve never held Elijah before. Even a child has self-preservation, and he’s always steered away from me. Not that I would ever hurt him. I’d hack through every inch of my body with my dull blade before I hurt a child. He doesn’t know that though. Instinct warns him away because of the vibes I give off.
I don’t know why I do it, but I grab him by the waist and hoist him up into my arms. Maybe I feel the need because I know Rella cares for him so much. I want to be a part of what she loves.
Elijah is normally very rambunctious, always moving in some way. Right now though, he’s as still as bean, just looking at me as he continues to suck his thumb. I can’t help but stare back at him. Several seconds later, his thumb pops out of his mouth and he gives me a toothy grin. The innocence of the little boy is astounding, and it sends a twinge of pain to my chest. I was never this innocent, even at his age.
My eyes flick passed his shoulder to find Rella watching, a soft expression bringing out the beautiful green in her eyes.
I put the boy down, and he toddles off toward his pile of toys on the floor. I hold my hand out to Rella.
“Come on. There’s something I want you to try.”
Without hesitation, she places her small hand in my bigger one. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to holding her hand.
Remi’s on the couch, watching our exchange, so I tell her I’m taking Rella with me and we’ll be back later.
I drove my car today, so I lead her to it, open the door, then close it behind her.
“What’s going on? Where are we going?” she asks, sliding her seat belt into place.
“My house. And you’ll see when we get there.”
A few minutes later, I’m letting her in my house. It’s been a week since Trouble and I got back from our failed mission to kill Charles Lancaster. We’re both back at Trouble’s house. I wanted to stay at my place, but I didn’t want Rella there. Not while I have what I have in the basement.
Rella’s quiet as I drop the canvas bag I brought in from the car on the kitchen table. I know she’s wracking her brain, trying to figured out what I have planned. I just hope she’s okay with it. I think it could really help her.